Our plan will limber you up—and help you maximize your workout

If you've been trying your hardest to lose weight, you may be tempted to skip stretching and balance exercises in favor of those that offer "better" results. But you'd probably be surprised to know that flexibilityand grace are two very precious fitness commodities that offer immediate and long-term benefits, including less pain, fewer injuries, and more self-confidence. That's why it's a good idea to work in three to six flexibility- and balance-enhancing sessions every week.

While you are setting your workout goals, pair one flexibility session with every muscle-toning or calorie-burning session. Delight in the sensation of lengthening your muscles and relieving tension—think of it as a free massage you give to yourself.

You may find these exercises surprisingly challenging at first, but don't give up—that increased sense of coordination and grace will translate into everything you do, whether running on the treadmill or just walking down the street, flaunting your new, fit body!

Limber up

You may have taken your flexibility for granted when you were in your teens and twenties. But as you get older, you might find it difficult to hook your bra, bend over to tie your shoelaces (or your kids' shoelaces), or turn your head when you back your car out of a parking spot. That's because you lose flexibility with age due to a decrease in tendon strength and an increase in tendon rigidity, making your muscles and joints difficult to move.

Stretching slowly and deliberately at least 3 days a week enhances your range of motion and improves your flexibility. Especially after doing weight training and aerobic exercise, stretching is essential to keep muscles limber and to prevent cramping.

"Increasing your flexibility will enhance your life and allow you to continue performing activities that may get harder as you get older," says Kathleen Cercone, P.T., professor of exercise science and physical therapy at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, Connecticut. "Putting socks on, a simple activity of daily living, can become a challenge as flexibility decreases. By staying flexible, you can help maintain your own way of life longer."[pagebreak]

An essential part of fitness over 40 When incorporated with weight lifting, stretching improves the benefits women over 40 gain from weight training.

In a study by Wayne Westcott, PhD, fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, a group of exercise enthusiasts (age 50 and over) stretched after each muscle group was worked in a weight-lifting routine. After 10 weeks of lifting weights and stretching in between (holding each stretch for 20 seconds), the group had improved their strength by 20% more than a similar group who had only lifted weights.

"If you condition a muscle by stretching, you get some strength benefit, and vice versa," Dr. Westcott says. "Most people save stretching until the end of their workouts—and find they don't have time left to do it. But with this combination, you use your time more productively."

Stretching also:

Improves circulation to your arms and legs

Improves muscle control

Increases stride length

Improves sports performance

Maximizes the benefits of strength training

Improves balance and coordination

Helps muscles recover from exercise

Increases range of motion

Decreases risk of injury

Decreases amount of time needed to recover from injuries

Relieves and prevents pain

Improves posture

Improves self-esteem and self-confidence

Relaxes and invigorates your body

Improves overall mood

Provides an opportunity to take time out for yourself

Add up the benefits, and it's easy to see why experts say stretching rounds out a complete exercise program.

"No matter what your age, you can improve your flexibility," says Cercone. In fact, the older you get, the more you need to stretch.[pagebreak]

Morning stretches

Simple stretches in the morning can go a long way toward getting your muscles ready for the day, getting your blood circulating, and giving you some much-needed time to focus peacefully on your body and yourself. That leaves you invigorated. You can do these three stretches while you're comfortably resting in bed or in a chair, and they require no warmup.

Morning Stretch 1 While lying on your back, reach your arms over your head and straighten your legs, making yourself longer. Imagine you're being pulled in opposite directions; reach out your arms as far as you can, and push your legs as far as they'll go. If you're prone to calf cramps, keep your feet flexed. Hold this stretch for three deep breaths and release, letting your body relax into the bed.

Morning Stretch 2 Sit on the edge of your bed and slump your body over your legs. You should look like a rag doll bent at the waist. Starting from your lower back, slowly roll to a sitting position. To finish, slowly roll your shoulders back to correct posture—this should take approximately 6 to 8 seconds—and look straight ahead. Just as slowly—again, taking 6 to 8 seconds—roll back down to the rag doll position, first tucking your head in to your chest, then rolling your shoulders forward, and finally curling down toward your knees.

Morning Stretch 3 In the rag doll position, wrap your arms under your knees and push your back out to stretch out your upper, middle, and lower spine. Hold for three deep breaths and release.

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Improve your balance

You probably don't give your sense of balance much thought, but being able to maintain your balance in a variety of situations is a very real marker of personal fitness.

For women especially, poor balance combined with brittle bones, weak muscles, and inflexible joints can result in a life-altering injury, making it difficult to participate in everyday activities such as getting out of a chair or walking.

At the very least, good balance gives you the confidence you need to hang curtains, paint your bedroom, or enjoy exercise like hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing.

Yet small, barely perceptible changes that occur as you hit the age of 40 or older can affect balance, says Steven Wolf, PhD, PT, professor in the department of rehabilitation medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, who studies the change in balance in older adults.

As you age, tiny wavelike hairs in your inner ear that play a role in equilibrium lose sensitivity, decreasing your ability to detect changes in balance. Nerve cells become less sensitive, and the reaction time and flexibility of your muscles decrease.

Not just for gymnasts You can maintain good balance indefinitely. Research suggests that over time, exercise, particularly resistance-training routines, can help maintain your sense of balance at midlife or older.

To focus specifically on improving your balance, add the following exercises into your regular fitness routine at least 3 days a week. For exercises that require holding on to a table or chair, try using only one hand as your steadiness increases. Progress to using only one finger, then without holding on at all, and finally with your eyes closed, suggests Dr. Wolf. [pagebreak]

Rock and roll Stand next to a wall for support, facing sideways, your feet about hip-width apart (1). Without bending your knees, slowly shift your weight to your toes, leaning slightly forward as far as you can without tipping or letting your heels come off the floor (2). Then shift your weight back to your heels, tilting backward without lifting your toes (3). Next, still keeping your feet flat on the floor, sway to the left and then to the right as far as possible (not shown). For more of a challenge, bring your feet closer together, and then try it with your eyes closed.

Kick Your Butt Stand straight, holding a table or chair for balance. Take 3 seconds to bend your left knee, trying to get your calf as close to the back of your thigh as possible. Hold, then lower your leg over 3 seconds. Repeat with your right leg.

The March Stand next to a wall for support and face sideways. Slowly raise your right knee over 3 seconds, bringing it as close to your chest as possible. Don't bend at the waist or hips. Hold for a second or two, then lower your leg over 3 seconds. Repeat with your left leg.

Scissor Kick Stand straight, holding a table or chair for support. Slowly lift your left leg 6 to 12 inches to the side; do not bend your knee or upper body. Hold. Slowly lower, and repeat on your right side. Once you've mastered this, hold the table with one hand, then one finger, then no hands, then eyes closed, to further improve your balance.

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Go steady with tai chi

An ancient Chinese practice that originally served as a starting point for studying advanced-level training for martial arts experts, tai chi has grown into its own respected place among fitness gurus and practitioners.

Tricia Yu, director of the Tai Chi Center in Madison, Wisconsin, has been practicing tai chi 15 to 20 minutes daily for the past 30 years and credits it for her balance and flexibility.

"Tai chi teaches us to maintain balance in all physical activities, such as standing, lifting, pushing, pulling, walking, and running. It trains you to bring your mind and body together so you're aware of your posture, your body, and your movement," says Yu.

These benefits don't only help women in their forties. In several studies conducted by Dr. Wolf, tai chi reduced the onset of falls by almost 50 percent in adults over age 70, reduced their fear of falling, and increased their confidence in doing activities they enjoy.

Other studies linked the practice of tai chi with improved emotional health, increased immune system function, and decreased blood pressure.

Easy, rhythmic movements are slowly and gradually worked into the tai chi routine. By concentrating on the movements, their sequence, and how your body is moving, you become better able to compensate for a declining ability to multitask as you get older. This compromised ability to perform multiple tasks at one time probably contributes to balance problems later in life. "It's the old 'can't walk and chew gum' phenomenon," says Dr. Wolf.

"With tai chi, every movement is deliberate, and it trains you to think about what you're doing," he says. Doing so will make you less likely to stumble or fall and will decrease your risk of sustaining a life-altering injury.